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Before completing the checklist you should read:

Guidance onÌýhow to completeÌýthe online ethics checklist:

Completing theÌýonline ethics checklist:

Section 1: Researcher/Project Details

• The summary should be no more than 500 wordsÌýandÌýwritten clearlyÌýand free from jargon. Please explain any technical terms or discipline-specific phrases. Do not attach a research protocol in place of completing the summary section.
• Briefly outline the overall aim of your research and brief justification for undertaking the research. Please explain your main method(s) e.g. survey, interviews, observation (overt or covert), focus group or lab based tests (this not an exhaustive list).
• Briefly outline any ethical issues but note that if you intend to involve human participants, you will be prompted to address anticipated ethical issues as you work through the checklist (section 3). If you are not working with human participants or their data there may be other ethical considerations such asÌýmanaging risks of research misuse?

Section 2: Filter Questions

• The questions that appear in Section 3 are based on the filter questions you select, so it is important that you select only those filter questions that are relevant to your project.Ìý However, do not avoid filter questions to side-step answering questions relevant to your research!
• Click on the help guides if you areÌýunsure if a question applies to your research or not.

Section 3: My Research

• °Õ³ó±ðÌýquestionsÌýappear in ‘blocks’ and all questions within a block must be completed.Ìý Please remember to save any new information given before moving in-between sections.Ìý The PDF checklistÌýis generated based on the answers you give to the questions in Section 3.Ìý This is the document Reviewers will download to assess the ethical viability of your project.

Section 4: Attachments/Researcher Statement

• Do notÌýforget to download the correct version ofÌý PI Sheet Template and Participant Agreement Form template.
• Remember that throughout the online ethics checklist, you will find help guides by clicking information icon.

If you intend toÌýconduct interviews/focus groups (any other face to face activities with participants),ÌýÌýplease make sure youÌýattachÌýa Participant Information Sheet (PI Sheet) and Participant Agreement Form (PAF), any recruitment adverts, interview protocol, observation schedules or debrief information sheets to your checklist.Ìý If you areÌýconducting a survey, attach a copy of the questions.

• PI Sheet/PAF templates are available,Ìý so please make sure you download an up to date versionÌýevery timeÌýyou submit a checklist for a new project.Ìý If you’re seeking an Amendment, you may need to consider whether a revised PI Sheet/PAF is required.

Gatekeepers:Ìý If you need to use a gatekeeper to access participants, please confirm who the Gatekeeper is and their involvement.Ìý You should obtain a written agreement from the Gatekeeper, which clarifies their role & responsibilities and which should contain an acknowledgement that they support the research. Confirmation needs to be agreed before data collection commences.

Referral Services:ÌýIf it is explicit in your participant information that you intend to refer participants to third party referral services e.g. the Samaritans, theÌýreferral service should be informed of the planned research activity before the data collection starts; this is both courteous and professional.Ìý Confirmation that this will be done should be made clear within the summaryÌýwhen completing the checklist.

Questionnaire/Online Surveys:Ìý°Â³ó±ð²ÔÌýconducting survey/questionnairesÌýthe questionnaire should be designed to include a short version of the PI Sheet (preamble) to be used for informing participants about the ethical dimensions of your questionnaire/survey.Ìý You shouldÌýensureÌýthat their consent to participate is recorded (particularly if collecting personal information).Ìý There is aÌýÌýavailable to download and adapt.

Recruitment Materials:ÌýAttach a copy of correspondence you intend to distribute e.g. poster, recruitment email etc. Remember you mustÌýdisplay the Ethics IDÌýon any flyers, posters or social media posts.

Other useful documents:

External resources

We recommend that you also familise yourself with theÌýprofessional association guidance which is relevant to your field of research.Ìý Some are listed below, together with other external resources which you may find useful.

• Ìý– designed to support educational researchers
• The Human Tissue Act 2004 –Ìý
• Social Research Association - Ìý(providingÌýethical guidance in social research)
• Market Research Society -

• Ìý– An Overview for Researchers.Ìý Compiled with the support of the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UKRI have provided aÌýGDPR overview for researchers, which sets out guidance and signposts to further sources of information.

If planning research overseas you should determine whether ethics approval is required in the country you are visiting:

• °Õ³ó±ðÌý, provided by the US Office for Human Research Protections is a useful reference document which details Research Ethics Committees in over 100 countries (they focus on research involving humans).Ìý If a local ethics committee does not exist, advice/approval from the organisation or community where the research will be conducted should be sought.
• Ìý– EUREC is a network of existing national Research Ethics Committees (RECs) associations, networks or comparable initiatives on the European Level.
• - an online database of country-specific clinical research regulatory information designed to assist in planning and implementing international clinical research.
• The - launched by the European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (ECRIN), the Campus Database, is an online database which includes country-specific information on regulatory and ethical requirements in clinical research across Europe.

The University's website has information on , Privacy Notices, Information Security and much more.....Ìý Some highlights are given below:

• on keeping you and BU safe and other useful guidance and policies onÌý protection againstÌýunauthorised recording, access, use, disclosure, modification, loss or destruction of information.Ìý If you intend to use mobile devices – please refer to the (staff version) or (student version).
• Recognise a data breach – A data breach is a security incident in which information is accessed without authorisation. If you’re ever concerned about a potential data breach at ³ÉÈËÖ±²¥, it’s important to call the IT Service Desk as quickly as possible on 01202 965515 (option 1).Ìý See for more details.

• Do you plan on making a transfer of personal data outside the UK?Ìý If so, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has guidance on .Ìý Please note that you must speak to Legal Services before any transfer (which includes personal data) is made, particularly if the Reciever is not part of BU.

• If you’re collecting data outside of the UK, you need to be aware of restrictions regarding the transfer of data to and from the UK.Ìý To help navigate this complicated area of law, there is a useful website (made available from DLA Piper) which compares data protection laws from around the world; for the transfer of data please click on the tab ‘Transfer’.
• Familiarise yourself with the differentÌýÌý(also seeÌý) so you know the correct handling procedures.

Useful links on the anonymisation of data and the use of anonymised data:

Guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Guidance from the UK Data Service:

Guidance from theÌýUK Anonymisation Network (UKAN):Ìý

The Review and Approval Process

All Research ethics checklists are reviewed and approved by an appropriate central research ethics panel:

Please note:ÌýIf you are a member of staff registered on a part-time PhD and you are seeking approval for research in relation to your PhD, please complete the checklist as a Postgraduate ResearcherÌýand not a member ofÌýStaff.Ìý The review and approval process for postgraduate research will apply.

• OEC workflow process - Ìý±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù²õ
• OEC workflow process - Ìý±è°ù´ÇÂá±ð³¦³Ù²õ

General Information:

• The systemÌýidentifies riskÌýby the responses you give to the questions raised in the checklist.

• Ìý– this guide provides an overview of the questions you will be prompted to answer.

³Û´Ç³ÜÌý³¾³Ü²õ³Ù not startÌýyour research data collection ²¹³¦³Ù¾±±¹¾±³Ù²âÌýUNTILÌýyou have completed anÌýonline ethics checklistÌýand the checklist has beenÌýAPPROVED.

Post Ethics Review

We have guidance on how to manage your study files,Ìýhow to apply for an Amendment, should you need to change your research protocol, project dates etc and the monitoring of research projects.

You must not startÌýyour research data collection activity or approach your research participants UNTILÌýyou have gone through the ethics review process (this usually means completingÌýan online ethics checklist, receiving a Favourable Opinion (from the Reviewers)Ìýand the checklist has beenÌý´¡±Ê±Ê¸é°¿³Õ·¡¶Ù online.

The Review and Approval Process

Your checklist isÌýautomatically sent to the supervisor you selectedÌýto checkÌýbefore proceeding for further review.Ìý (At this stage, theÌýstatus of your checklistÌýwill change to 'submitted').

Your checklist isÌýinitially reviewedÌýby your Supervisor and theyÌýcan send the checklist back to you if questions have not been answered correctly or you have notÌýattached supporting study documentation such as anÌýparticipant information sheet, participant agreement form or questionnaire. If your Supervisor returns the checklist to you online,Ìýcomments will be included in the email notification from 'research ethics'. (At this stage theÌýstatus of your checklistÌýwill change to 'open').Ìý ÌýIf you need to reply to the automated email (e.g. if you have a question about the comments made), please click 'reply all', so that your Supervisor is copied into your response (if their email address is missing - add it, as they need to be able to respond to your enquiry).

When your Supervisor is happy with the checklist and supporting documents,Ìýthey will either:

• forward your checklist for ‘low risk’ projects onto an appropriate departmental Ethics Champion (at this stage theÌýstatus of your checklistÌýwill change to 'reviewed') OR
• forward your checklist for ‘high risk’ projects onto an appropriate central research ethics panel (REP) (at this stage theÌýstatus of your checklistÌýwill change to 'forwarded')

What happens when your checklist is forwarded to one of the two central research ethics panels?

Panels are operating normally but online via Teams

You will be invited to attend a Panel meetingÌýand you should be accompanied by a member of your Supervisory Team (usually your first supervisor).ÌýOnce the Panel is ready we will add you to the meeting so please ensure you are online.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Panel meetings are informal and you will be askedÌýquestions about your ethics checklist project.Ìý You willÌýbe expected toÌýdemonstrate an awareness and engagement with research ethics principles and attending PanelÌýallows for clarification on points of uncertainty and aids the review process.

Time management - plan ahead - ethics approval can take between 2 - 6 weeks

• The systemÌýidentifies °ù¾±²õ°ìÌýby the responses you give to the questions raised in the checklist.
• If you know it's going be identified as high risk, make sure you build in sufficient time to allow for the review process into your research timetable – plan ahead!

General Information

• OEC workflow process -
• OEC workflow process -

• The systemÌýidentifiesÌý°ù¾±²õ°ìÌýby the responses you give to the questions raised in the checklist.

• Ìý– this guide provides an overview of the questions you will be prompted to answer.

³Û´Ç³ÜÌý³¾³Ü²õ³Ù not startÌýyour research data collection ²¹³¦³Ù¾±±¹¾±³Ù²âÌýUNTILÌýyou have gone through the ethics review process and completed anÌýonline ethics checklistÌýand the checklist has beenÌý´¡±Ê±Ê¸é°¿³Õ·¡¶Ù.

Post Ethics Review

We have guidance on how to manage your study files,Ìýhow to apply for an Amendment, should you need to change your research protocol, project dates etc and the monitoring of research projects.

You must not startÌýyour research data collection activity or approach your research participants UNTILÌýyou have completed an online ethics checklist and the checklist has beenÌý´¡±Ê±Ê¸é°¿³Õ·¡¶Ù.

The Review and Approval Process

Your checklist isÌýautomatically sent to the supervisor you selectedÌýto checkÌýbefore proceeding for further review.Ìý (At this stage,ÌýtheÌýstatus of your checklistÌýwill change to 'submitted').

Your Supervisor can send the checklist back if questions have not been answered correctly or you have not attached the correct paperwork (e.g. participant information sheet, participant agreement form or questionnaire). When your Supervisor is satisfied that the checklist is complete, they will:

• approve ‘Low risk’ projects (at this stage the status of your checklist will change to 'approved')
• forward ‘High risk’ projects to designated Ethics Programme Team (at this stage the status of your checklist will change to 'forwarded').Ìý

What happens when my checklist is forwarded to an Ethics Programme Team?

• Your checklist will undergo an additional review.Ìý Teams can send the checklist back for further changes if theyÌýconsiderÌýquestions have not beenÌýadequatelyÌýaddressed.

Time management - plan ahead - ethics approval can take up to 2Ìýweeks

• The systemÌýidentifies °ù¾±²õ°ìÌýby the responses you give to the questions raised in the checklist.
• If you know it's going be identified as high risk, make sure you build in sufficient time to allow for the review process into your research timetable – plan ahead!

³§±ð±ðÌýFlowchart

General Information

• The systemÌýidentifiesÌýriskÌýby the responses you give to the questions raised in the checklist.

• Ìý– this guide provides an overview of the questions you will be prompted to answer.

You must not start your research data collection ²¹³¦³Ù¾±±¹¾±³Ù²âÌýUNTILÌýyou have completed an online ethics checklist and the checklist has beenÌýAPPROVED.

Post Ethics Review

Once your online ethics checklist has beenÌý´¡±Ê±Ê¸é°¿³Õ·¡¶Ù, the online formÌýcannotÌýbe edited.Ìý If your project changes as you progress, you need to consider whether your current ethics approval is still relevant.Ìý If you need to make changes, these changes need to be approved.Ìý Click the link 'post ethics review' forÌýinformation on how to submit anÌýAmendment Request Form.